(Quiz) Which Driving “Facts” Are True—And Which Are Urban Legends?

Quiz-summary

0 of 5 questions completed

Questions:

1

2

3

4

5

Information

Since 84 percent of Americans over the age of 16 have a driver’s license, it’s no surprise that most people get plenty of driving advice and theories. The only trouble is that some of it is based on outdated information. We rounded up some of the most common driving-related “facts” and asked experts give us the real deal. Take this quiz for a spin to see how savvy you really are.

You have already completed the quiz before. Hence you can not start it again.

Quiz is loading...

You must sign in or sign up to start the quiz.

You have to finish following quiz, to start this quiz:

Results

0 of 5 questions answered correctly

Your time:

Time has elapsed

You have reached 0 of 0 points, (0)

Categories

Not categorized0%

Whether you aced this quiz or not, being streetwise means having dependable insurance that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Get a car insurance quote from GEICO and start saving today.

1

2

3

4

5

Answered

Review

Question 1 of 5

1. Question

True or False? It’s illegal to drive barefoot.

True

False

Correct

Even though some states permit driving barefoot, experts overwhelmingly discourage it. “Pedals are designed to respond to the weight of a foot in a shoe, so driving barefoot can be dangerous,” says Colonel James Solomon, subject matter expert for the National Safety Council defensive driving courses. (Plus, you can’t really get a good grip sans footwear.) If you’re involved in a collision and police think your decision to skip shoes contributed to the incident, you could be found at fault for the accident.

Incorrect

Even though some states permit driving barefoot, experts overwhelmingly discourage it. “Pedals are designed to respond to the weight of a foot in a shoe, so driving barefoot can be dangerous,” says Colonel James Solomon, subject matter expert for the National Safety Council defensive driving courses. (Plus, you can’t really get a good grip sans footwear.) If you’re involved in a collision and police think your decision to skip shoes contributed to the incident, you could be found at fault for the accident.

Question 2 of 5

2. Question

True or False? Premium gas is always better for your engine.

True

False

Correct

Premium gasoline has a higher octane rating, which means it will help eliminate engine knock—a rattling or pinging sound that results from premature ignition of the compressed fuel-air mixture in your cylinders. (Read more on the difference between premium and regular gas.) But this doesn’t mean it will enhance the performance of a car designed to run on regular gas, says ASE certified technician and automotive expert Lauren Fix. If you are experiencing knocking, it could be related to an engine issue. Changing fuels to a higher grade may help, but if it continues, see a certified ASE mechanic.

Incorrect

Premium gasoline has a higher octane rating, which means it will help eliminate engine knock—a rattling or pinging sound that results from premature ignition of the compressed fuel-air mixture in your cylinders. (Read more on the difference between premium and regular gas.) But this doesn’t mean it will enhance the performance of a car designed to run on regular gas, says ASE certified technician and automotive expert Lauren Fix. If you are experiencing knocking, it could be related to an engine issue. Changing fuels to a higher grade may help, but if it continues, see a certified ASE mechanic.

Question 3 of 5

3. Question

Flashing high beams for both reasons is common practice. But it may be illegal in some states because bright, glaring lights can interfere with other drivers’ vision, says Solomon. Instead of flashing your headlights to tell an oncoming driver to turn off his high beams, Solomon recommends diverting your eyes to the white line on the side of the road. As for warning others about a speed trap ahead? Solomon says this could be interpreted as interfering with the administration of justice, although a federal judge in Missouri ruled that drivers have a First Amendment right to do this in 2014.

Incorrect

Flashing high beams for both reasons is common practice. But it may be illegal in some states because bright, glaring lights can interfere with other drivers’ vision, says Solomon. Instead of flashing your headlights to tell an oncoming driver to turn off his high beams, Solomon recommends diverting your eyes to the white line on the side of the road. As for warning others about a speed trap ahead? Solomon says this could be interpreted as interfering with the administration of justice, although a federal judge in Missouri ruled that drivers have a First Amendment right to do this in 2014.

Question 4 of 5

4. Question

True or False? Static electricity at the gas pump can cause an explosion.

True

False

Correct

This can happen, but it’s extremely rare, says expert Lauren Fix. Getting back in your car while refueling can cause a buildup of static electricity, especially in cool and dry weather, which can ignite fuel vapors. While it’s best to remain outside your car while pumping gas, if you have to go back in your car while the pump is going, touch something metal—such as the car door—to ground yourself (this discharges any static electricity) when you exit the vehicle and before you touch the gas pump.

Incorrect

This can happen, but it’s extremely rare, says expert Lauren Fix. Getting back in your car while refueling can cause a buildup of static electricity, especially in cool and dry weather, which can ignite fuel vapors. While it’s best to remain outside your car while pumping gas, if you have to go back in your car while the pump is going, touch something metal—such as the car door—to ground yourself (this discharges any static electricity) when you exit the vehicle and before you touch the gas pump.

Question 5 of 5

5. Question

It depends on what kind of car you’re driving, says Fix. Either way, she emphasizes that you should never turn off your engine on the road (even if you’re at a standstill) because you’ll disable safety features like airbags.

Incorrect

It depends on what kind of car you’re driving, says Fix. Either way, she emphasizes that you should never turn off your engine on the road (even if you’re at a standstill) because you’ll disable safety features like airbags.

IN MY OPINION 85% OF THE DRIVERS KNOW NOTHING ABOUT DRIVING? THEY ARE GIVEN A LICENSE JUST LIKE YOU GET A BIRTHDAY, AND THEY DON’T HAVE A CLUE?EVEN TALKING ON BLUE TOOTH, HAS YOUR MIND ELSE WHERE. IT ONLY TAKES ONE SECOND TO GET KILLED. AND I DON’T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE THAT. WE NEED TO HAVE TRAINING IN SCHOOL FOR THESE KIDS, (ALSO FOR A LOT OF ADOULTS)

The question of idling vs restart depends on how long you plan to idle and how many times you will restart . It doesn’t take into account the age of the vehicle or mileage which could make a difference. All in all a trick question. However I did enjoy the quiz.

I think the last question should be marked both if you are going to say it depends on the type of vehicle. Yes it does and considering I have a vehicle with a carburetor and one that is fuel injected, yes, it makes a difference.
A carburetor will use more to restart instead of idle than a fuel injected vehicle. So don’t assume everyone drives fuel injected vehicles.

Great Quiz everyone should take it u be surprise how many people fail. It very dangerous to drive without ? I believe ? high performance cars ? use high premium gas. Double blinking headlights is good ? to let oncoming car know theirs headlights not on which is not s good fit. Janice

Something to think about, the higher octane gasoline is purchased less often than regular octane, which means it sits in the tank collecting condensation and sediment making it less suitable for your vehicle. Your best option, because it is used most often is regular gas and put in an additive if needed.

Wonderful quiz everyone should take especially Everyone should never forget to fasten their ? belt including ur passengers will save ur life. Dashing your headlights also lets driver who coming towards u may not know their lights are not on when it should be way of letting them know to turn their head lights on.

Premium Vs. Regular Gas, Premium gas is designed for high compression engines. Yes the octane is higher because of the additives which are added to make the fuel burn slower/cooler. Regular gas actually burns hotter and faster. Do Not think by adding a tank of premium will clean out your engine and make it work better, in fact it could foul up the ignition in the process. On the other hand Do Not add regular to a high compression engine you will have a good chance to burn out your ignition, ping, back fire etc. Use the factory specified octane and proper gas, premium or regular.

While it’s generally true that Premium gasoline is formulated with higher concentrations of detergent and Fuel Injector additives, it’s the higher Octane rating of the base gasoline which differentiates it from regular gasoline-i.e. 93 Octane vs 87 Octane. Did you know that the Octane posting on the pump is actually the average of 2 Octane measurements- Research + Motor/2 determined by special laboratory engines run under 2 sets of conditions?

I worked for Mobil Oil Corporation’s Technical Service Labs in the fuel and lubricant sections for approx 30 years.